Updated October 2026
Across 3 pages
of 3
Irish
"descendant of Conn, chief leader, intelligence"
Quinn is one of the most popular Irish unisex surnames out there, a strong and attractive choice on the rise for girls but still popular for boys. A recent year saw it used for nearly 2690 girls…
"bright-headed"
Callahan, the simpler spelling of Callaghan, is a rhythmic jig of a name whose history harks back to the ancient King of Munster. In the Dirty Harry movies, the Clint Eastwood character is Harry…
Quinn is an engaging Celtic surname, zippy, concise and strong. While it may now lean feminine in the US, given to girls about 80% of the time, it is still given to a substantial number of boys: 615…
Greek, French
"of Troyes"
Troy shot to popularity as a first name in tandem with that of 1960s heartthrob Troy (born Merle) Donahue; its image has now, thanks in part to the Brad Pitt-starring epic, Troy , receded back to…
"descendant of the red-haired one"
Flynn, a charming Irish surname, is still used only quietly, despite its easygoing, casual cowboy charm, unlike Finn which is a star of this genre. Flynn was the choice of Orlando Bloom and Miranda…
Swedish; Danish; Norwegian
"heir, descendant"
Leif is one of the most recognizable Scandinavian names , thanks to Icelandic explorer Leif Erikson, and is still one of the best, with a pleasant aural association with the word leaf. Leif Erikson,…
English
"island with elder trees; descendant of Hilary; cheerful, happy"
In the past few years Ellery has gone from middle-aged male detective -- from old school fictional hero Ellery Queen -- to a plausible girls' name, a la Hillary. Ellery is one of the golden names…
Feminine form of Brennan
"descendant of the sad one; raindrops"
Brenna is a feminine form of the Irish surname Brennan, or perhaps a variation of Brenda or Brendan—all of which have different meanings. Whatever its derivation or authenticity, it's a modern…
Irish surname
"descendant of Niallán"
Neyland has been used as a first name for a handful of boys each year since 2002. It's most popular in Tennessee, where it's associated with The University of Tennessee’s Neyland Stadium. The stadium…
English, modern invented name combining Quinn and ley
"descendant of Conn + clearing, meadow"
A modern choice for girls riffing on the popular unisex name Quinn, with an extra syllable to add substance and formality. And Quinn is still available as a nickname!
"descendant of Caoinlean, slender "
An Irish last-name-first-name that could make a child feel distinctive, while still having the regular guy nickname of Quinn. Christine Taylor and Ben Stiller spelled their son's name Quinlin.…
English, Scottish, and Irish surname
"descendant of Hugh; one who lives near the wood clearing"
Modern way to honor an ancestral Hugh.
Norwegian
"descendant of the chief"
This old-school Nordic name derives from the Old Norse word jarl , meaning "leader, chief". While it has been out of the Norwegian Top 100 since the 1960s, a recent ⁰notable bearer is footballer…
Irish surname, or variation of Elouan, Breton and French
"descendant of Leochán; light"
Americans may consider Lohan a surname name forever tied to Lindsay but in France, it's a modern variation of the Breton saint's name Elouan.
"descendant of Hayes"
A modern choice that blends the sounds of popular Mason with those of rising star Hayes, Haysen was a fast rising choice in 2024 when it was given to 71 boys compared to just 16 the year before.…
"descendant of Moses"
This evocative green nature name, heard much more frequently as a surname, is associated with playwright Moss Hart (born Robert), who co-wrote (with George S. Kaufman) such enduring Broadway comedies…
Quinlan is an Irish surname name given to a few dozen baby girls in the US each year. With the success of Quinn as a girls' name, Quinlan and its variant spellings Quinlin and Quinlyn might follow…
English, variation of Ellery
"descendant of Hilary"
Elloree is an English name, possibly a variation of Ellery. Elloree is also the name of a small town in South Carolina.
A winning last-name-first Celtic choice, Flynn is still mostly used for boys, such as the son of Orlando Bloom and Miranda Kerr. Though Flynn is definitely one of the Irish surname names, from Quinn…
"descendant of the hardy warrior"
Although it looks like an English placename, the surname Crowley is an anglicization of the Irish O Cruadhlaoich. A famous bearer was the occultist Aleister Crowley, and it also appears on characters…